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Your editor is behind today, as� I spent last night meeting with Chicago Fire owner and chairman Andrew Hauptman, discussing many of the issues I raised in my open letter to Fire ownership last month.

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Jason Kreis and RSL are the most frustrating duo in MLS. Former listeners to the American Soccer Show on CSRN will know that I have a soft spot for the club, not because of any geographic tie, but because of the presence of former Miami Fusion players up and down the organization, starting with GM Garth Lagerway.

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As I mentioned on Monday with the release of our latest podcast, we are making some exciting changes at MLS Talk. One of these changes will be our new "Legends of MLS" series on both our podcast and website. Often times, MLS History is unknown or hardly written for the new fan. We seek to bridge a gap in understanding and recognition of certain players, coaches and clubs.

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Want improvement? A century ago as America's eastern cities overpopulated it was, "Go West, young man." For soccer a century later the trumpet sounds the same. Only going west means tracking back to the previous Western frontier. In mainland Europe. Or at least that's what Simon Kuper believes and writes in his and economist Stefan Szymanski's new book, Soccernomics.

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The first round of MLS playoffs (aka MLS Conference Semi-finals)� always spurs heated discussion about its playoff format as well as the League's two conference structure.

Let's take an overview of various playoff format options and League structures� for Major League Soccer.� There should be three objectives to a playoff format and League Structure:

1) Crown a worthy champion

2) Entertain the fans

3) Maximize revenue for the teams and League

No matter what playoff format is used or what tweaks are made to improve it, a percentage of fans will criticize it and offer other imperfect solutions.

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For those of us that follow a major European team, there is a weekly pattern that develops over the season.� After the weekend game, many fans like myself spend a couple of days absorbing commentary about the game.� Youtube is scoured for clips and the blogs are mined for insights.

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The National Soccer Hall of Fame has announced the ten former stars on the ballot for this year's Veteran Player election. I don't vote in this one (Hall of Famers do), but here are some thoughts on the ten veterans up for election (they're the exact same ten as last year, when no one was elected):

• Desmond Armstrong: I don't think he's going to make it.

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You know what would be bad ass? If Becks would shave the beard but keep the mustache. I really feel like what we need right now is a return to wide-brooms and "real ales" beards. It's kind of sad that Shep Messing --who has been retired for more than 20 years-- is the dude who's really holding it down for consistent and prominent facial hair in the American soccer diaspora. Click to continue reading...

Dear Mr. Goodell,

What has been witnessed all season long at Qwest Field in Seattle is the potential of professional Soccer in the U.S.� Interestingly, it has all taken place at a football stadium.� Who would have ever guessed, 14 years in,� that MLS would make� its biggest� impact in a football stadium.

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The dispute between several clubs in the USL's first division and the league's administrators has reached the end-game this week, and Triangle Offense is reporting that the breakaway Team Owners Association is submitting its application for recognition as a league to the US Soccer Federation.

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This past week I was asked by Inside The Six's Richard Farley to discuss about MLS, the last match at Giants Stadium, Red Bull New York,� MLS as a whole and the situation of the USL & the future of American Soccer.

Richard Farley who has been� a guest many times on the MLS Talk Podcast with Kartik Krishnaiyer was gracious enough to allow me to share my thoughts on the game here in the USA.

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photo courtesy Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com

What was Pat Onstad thinking? How could he lose his cool so suddenly in the most important game in the Dynamo's season? A dangerous cross came through the penalty area, just out of his reach, and continued over the byline. Sure, replays show Fredy Montero obstructing the goalkeeper, but not in any way dangerously.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Under-17 national team won a World Cup game on Thursday, but for many American observers, the 1-0 victory against Malawi didn't quite feel like a triumph. The disappointing performance led to some criticism (from SBI among others), and while it might seem misguided to be critical of a team of teenagers, the fact remains that this U-17 squad isn't just some youth team.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Under-17 national team won a World Cup game on Thursday, but for many American observers, the 1-0 victory against Malawi didn't quite feel like a triumph. The disappointing performance led to some criticism (from SBI among others), and while it might seem misguided to be critical of a team of teenagers, the fact remains that this U-17 squad isn't just some youth team.

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There was plenty of huffing and puffing in Seattle Thursday - here former Galaxy striker Nate Jaqua and Houston's Geoff Cameron challenge for the ball - but no-one blew anyone's house down in the scoreless draw. (AP Photo) The first game of the MLS playoffs are over and neither Chivas USA nor the Galaxy are any closer to knowing who the winner of their semifinal will face in the Western Conference Championship.

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There are a few things that have been detrimental to the image of MLS this week, including Alexi Lalas' face appearing every time I open the MLS homepage. High on my list would have been MLS moving the Fire's away playoff game at New England to Sunday from Saturday, just two days after they had scheduled it for the original date in the first place.

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Through the Chicago Fire's first decade, the MLS team was led on the field by one of two men, former Poland National Team Captain Piotr Nowak through the team's first five seasons and former� United States National Team Captain Chris Armas through its second five.� Piotr was on hand last Thursday night, along with fellow Ring of Fire members Frank Klopas, Bob Bradley and me, to welcome Chris into the team's hall of fame.

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No surprise there, then: in a tanking economy where even the nation's most popular league, the NFL, has had trouble selling tickets and Major League Baseball's attendance fell 6.9%, it's not a shock to learn that as Soccer America reports, MLS' attendance fell overall by 2.9% in the regular season just concluded, falling from 16,460 in 2008 to 16,037.

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This morning, EPLTalk writes about "How American Soccer Fans Are Smarter Than Average Americans."
I don't know how soccer fans stack up compared to "average Americans," but I do think that following soccer can make you smarter. It's not that you have to be smart in order to follow soccer, it's that through the act(s) of being a soccer fan, you learn a lot especially as it relates to geography and foreign culture. Click to continue reading...

It was great to see the U.S. qualify for the World Cup and I think that's great for American soccer, but as a Swede, of course I'm upset that we couldn't qualify. Our biggest rival is Denmark and we knocked them out last qualification round and unfortunately they knocked us out this time.
And they are much more relaxed here in Seattle. Click to continue reading...

I've lost track of the number of times Americans ask me where I'm from, and I mention Wales only to hear the next follow-up question, which is "Where is Wales? Is that part of England?"

While most US residents get an F in geography (not just from me, but from many scholars), I've found that soccer fans living in the United States are far smarter than average Americans for the following reasons:

1. Time difference wizards.

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The NFL's Giants Stadium was once a famous venue of American soccer, a must-be-seen place with packed crowds and Pele in the 1970s.

Then the New York MetroStars, later rebranded to Red Bull New York, started playing there almost two decades later in Major League Soccer.

As the Red Bulls laid the final piece of sod today at their new, impressive Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, some current players took the chance to express their feelings about Giants Stadium and the support they (did not) receive there.

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The plight of Toronto FC and the frustration of its fans are popular fodder around the North American soccer community these days. The moaning angst of Reds supporters can be heard down here in the...

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The Houston Dynamo's 2009 regular season came to an end on Sunday as they beat Chivas USA 3-2 at the Home Depot Center. Coming into Sunday's match, both teams had secured playoff berths, but the outcome would decide the seeding of the teams. By beating the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, the L.

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The season is over and, after a wild weekend, we have our playoff teams.� The first round of playoffs looks like this:

West

LA Galaxy vs Chivas USA

Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders

East

Columbus Crew vs Real Salt Lake

New England Revolution vs Chicago Fire

Before we start previewing this first round of the playoffs, let's spend a moment looking back at how we got here:

For the last month, the MLS essentially had a single table, and it was great!

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First off, I must admit that I hate it in sports when a person is titled Best Ever.� Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player� ever?� If I were to say no then people would be all over me.� They would name his championship titles, MVP trophies, signature dunks, and Gatorade commercials as evidence of this.

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NEW YORK RED BULLS VS. TORONTO FC
Giants Stadium - Saturday, 7:30PM EST
TV: GOL-TV - RADIO: The Fan 590

In the wacky world of North American soccer football there are very few historical sites. While we will stop short of comparing East Rutherford, New Jersey's Giants Stadium to the likes of the San Siro, Nou Camp or Wembley, you have to admit it has played a large concrete role in the continent's footy story. Click to continue reading...

by Matt - US Soccer Daily The past couple months were aptly referred to as "The Summer of Soccer" by the top figures in American soccer, and for good reason. World Cup qualifiers, MLS play, the...

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Last night, the Chicago Fire made their latest induction into the club's Ring of Fire, which acknowledges heroes of the team's history.� Added last night was Chris Armas, joining Bob Bradley, Piotr Nowak, Lubos Kubik, Frank Klopas and Pitch Invasion's own Peter Wilt in the Ring.� Despite the pouring rain all night, Fire supporters, including myself, stayed in the stands to recognise Chris at an excellent half-time ceremony, midway through a critical game that eventually saw the Fire reach the MLS playoffs after a 1-0 win over Chivas USA.

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When the New York Red Bulls take on Toronto FC on Saturday night, it will mark the final soccer game at Giants Stadium. With the new Giants Stadiums set to open in 2010, and the New York Red Bulls moving into Red Bull Arena in the spring, soccer fans will finally be able to say farewell to the former home of the New York Cosmos as well as the site of so many great soccer memories.

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When the New York Red Bulls take on Toronto FC on Saturday night, it will mark the final soccer game at Giants Stadium. With the new Giants Stadiums set to open in 2010, and the New York Red Bulls moving into Red Bull Arena in the spring, soccer fans will finally be able to say farewell to the former home of the New York Cosmos as well as the site of so many great soccer memories.

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By Clemente Lisi - NEW YORK, NY (Oct 23, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- It was twenty years ago next month that a young US team traveled to Trinidad & Tobago and earned an improbable berth to the 1990 World Cup. Twenty years later, wining that game is considered the starting point for the new era of American soccer. Click to continue reading...

U.S. National Team forward Landon Donovan made history today by winning the 2009 Honda Player of the Year Award, thus becoming the only six time winner of the most coveted prize in U.S. Soccer. For the last 19 years, the award has honored the best player on the U.S. National Soccer Team as chosen by the American soccer media. Click to continue reading...

One shouldn't be in the business of making blind endorsements, but I'm going to step out and echo my dude Dunny's co-sign on Steve Sirk's new Columbus Crew book, A Massive Season. I haven't read it but it's just nice to see some American soccer-based product available in Amazon.com.
This coupled with the long, long, long-awaited release of Simon Kuper's upcoming book, Soccernomics, makes for a banner month for The Largest Library of Soccer Related Literature on the Jersey Shore™. Click to continue reading...

Yesterday, we tackled the notion that American soccer fans are snobbish and elitist by highlighting a piece written on the subject by Alex Akita at The Bleacher Report. I attempted to explain part...

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